The Renault Fuego is a sports hatchback manufactured from 1980 to 1986, replacing the Renault 15 and 17 coupés. A total of 265,367 were produced, about 85 per cent of them in Maubeuge, France.
Renault Fuego at a glance
| Maker | Renault, Maubeuge, France; also Spain |
|---|---|
| Production | February 1980–October 1985 in France, to 1986 in Spain |
| Type | sports coupé with glass hatchback |
| Based on | Renault 18 floorpan and drivetrain |
| Exterior design | Michel Jardin under Robert Opron |
| Interior design | Francois Lampreia |
| Shown | Geneva Motor Show, 1980 |
| Built | 265,367 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Renault Fuego.
History of the Renault Fuego
A successor to the 15 and 17
Renault unveiled the Fuego at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show as the successor to the Renault 15 and 17, and had planned to call the coupé R19. The name means fire in Spanish. Its exterior was styled by Michel Jardin and its interior by Francois Lampreia, both working under the direction of Robert Opron, whose distinctive coupé shape included a glass hatchback that gave it useful cargo space.
Renault 18 underneath
The Fuego was heavily based on the Renault 18, sharing its floorpan and drivetrain, while its front suspension came from the larger Renault 20/30. Although it shared no parts with the bigger car, the design kept the familiar double-wishbone layout with negative scrub radius; that suspension was later added to the facelifted Renault 18 and, with minor refinements such as larger bushings, to the Renault 25. Power steering was available at the top of the range, and the Fuego dashboard was fitted to the facelifted R18 in 1984.
America and the end
Cars built in France were imported and sold in the United States by American Motors Corporation, and the Turbo version went on sale there in 1982, a year before its French launch. French assembly ran from February 1980 to October 1985, with Spanish production for European markets continuing into 1986, by which time 265,367 Fuegos had been built.
Design and features
- Glass hatchback: Opron’s shape gave the coupé practical load space.
- Renault 18 mechanicals: the saloon’s floorpan and drivetrain in a two-door body.
- Advanced front suspension: double wishbones with negative scrub radius from the 20/30.
- Turbo version: sold in the United States from 1982, a year before France.
Renault Fuego versions
- Fuego (1980): the standard coupé in a range of petrol versions.
- Fuego Turbo: the performance model with a turbocharged engine.
- Fuego GTX: the well-equipped later model.
The Fuego replaced the Renault 15 and 17 and used the floorpan of the Renault 18; later it was itself replaced in spirit by the Renault 19 and the sporting Renault 21. More cars are in the Renault collection.
Video: Fast Club Renault Fuego
Video by agenais47 on YouTube.
Sources
- Renault Fuego, English Wikipedia: design, Renault 18 basis, production, Turbo
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